Isolated complaint or systemic issue? Hong Kong Monetary Authority strengthens requirements for complaints handling and investigating control deficiencies to be implemented by 5 April 2023

19 January, 2023
What are authorised institutions (AIs) required to do when they receive a customer complaint? On 6 January 2023, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) issued its updated Supervisory Policy Manual (SPM) module IC-4 on complaints handling and redress. The updated IC-4 imposes new requirements on AIs under an enhanced complaints handling framework, in line with one … Read more

Hong Kong virtual asset regulation – 2022 wrap-up and what to expect in the new year

22 December, 2022
Have you been keeping up to date with the latest virtual asset (VA) developments in Hong Kong? They continue to come thick and fast. We set out below a wrap-up of the most recent developments, including in relation to the new virtual asset service provider (VASP) licensing regime, warnings from the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC), amendments to the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing Ordinance (AMLO), and what to expect in the new year. Read more

When the Hong Kong Stock Exchange knocks, open the door and cooperate

16 December, 2022
The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (SEHK) recently published its new Guidance Note on Cooperation (Cooperation Note) and revised Enforcement Sanctions Statement (Sanctions Statement). The Cooperation Note is a brand new guidance note that stresses SEHK’s expectations regarding cooperation. It sets out examples of good cooperation with the possible benefits and examples of uncooperative conduct with the possible consequences. Read more

Webinar: Panel discussion – Virtual asset regulatory developments and highlights from Hong Kong and Singapore Fintech Week

08 November, 2022
Both the Hong Kong and Singapore regulators have announced further developments and guidance in relation to the regulation of virtual asset (VA)-related products and services. Hong Kong is proposing to recalibrate its existing legal and regulatory regimes to enable greater access to VA by retail investors, while Singapore has launched consultations on stablecoin-related activities and digital payment token services. Read more

Retail access for virtual assets – risky business or radical open-mindedness?

02 November, 2022
Hong Kong’s Fintech Week 2022 began with a crypto-infused bang with keynote speeches from the Government and financial regulators embracing the financial innovation made possible by virtual assets (VAs). Recognising that VAs are here to stay, Hong Kong has proposed to recalibrate the existing legal and regulatory regimes, with a focus on enabling greater access by retail investors to VA-related products and services while mitigating attendant risk. We also anticipate developments in the near future around the property rights of tokenised assets and stablecoins. Read more

Webinar: Panel discussion – New Hong Kong licensing regime for VASPs

12 August, 2022
The new licensing regime for virtual asset service providers (VASPs) will significantly impact the virtual asset industry in Hong Kong. Once in force, any person who seeks to carry on a business of providing a virtual asset service (currently limited to operating a virtual asset exchange) will be required to apply to the SFC for a licence.  On Tuesday, 23 August 2022 from 1pm to 2pm (Hong Kong/Singapore time), our Asia Financial Services Regulatory Partners, Hannah Cassidy and Natalie Curtis, will be joined by Prosynergy Consulting Limited’s Managing Director, Louie Lee, ARTA TechFin Corporation Limited’s CEO (Blockchain Finance), Simon Au Yeung, and MaiCapital Limited's Managing Partner, Marco Lim, to discuss the new VASP licensing regime. Read more

China’s green finance – key recent developments

12 July, 2022
“Green finance” is quickly gaining momentum in China. The rise of green finance was at first driven by environmental goals when the concept of “ecological civilisation” was brought up, and more recently by China’s objectives to achieve the peak of carbon emissions by 2030 and carbon neutrality (or more precisely, net-zero of all six types of greenhouse gas emissions) by 2060, the so-called “Dual Carbon goals”. Read more